Frequency controlled mechanism



March 12,1935. w. KOENIG FREQUENCY CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Jan. 13,1951 {T I ["5 w 4 =1 Om 5: WINVENERI W 641% BY Patented Mar. 12, 1935UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREQUENCY CONTROLLED MECHANISM ApplicationJanuary 13, 1931, Serial No. 508,475 In Switzerland January 15, 1930 4Claims.

The present invention relates to frequency controlled mechanism and moreparticularly to a novel and useful frequency controlled mechanism inwhich a rotating member is controlled and actuated by, a frequencyresponsive member.

Objects and'advantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypractice with the invention, the same being realized and attained bymeans of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements,combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof, illustrates one embodiment of the invention, and together withthe description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one illustrative embodiment of thepresent invention, certain parts being omitted;

Figure 2 is a plan of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, certain partsbeing broken away;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary and diagrammatic detail elevation of theembodiment of Figure 1;

Figure i is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified embodiment ofthe present invention; and

Figure 5 shows diagrammatically a special arrangement of the magnet corewhich may be employed in connection with the present invention,

The present invention has for its object the provision of a frequencycontrolled mechanism, suitable for use in connection with the operationof switching mechanism, registers or recording mechanism. A furtherobject is the provision of such a mechanism which is efficient andreliable in its operation and at the same time simple and of relativelyinexpensive construction. Still another object is the provision of sucha mechanism in which the parts need not be initially adjusted, and neednot be adjusted from time to time to compensate for wear.

In accordance with the present invention, a resonant reed is provided,adapted to vibrate when subjected to a driving force of the properfrequency, and cooperates: with a rotating member to intermittentlyrotate the member. As embodied, the rotating member is normally heldagainst rotation by means which are released only by resonant vibrationof the vibratory memher.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and thefollowing detailed description as well, are exemplary and explanatory ofthe invention, but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred and illustrativeembodiment of the pres ent invention, a resonant spring member or reedof resilent magnetic material is securely mounted in a frame by means ofthe cross membars 11, and its free end is positioned between the polepieces 12 of a driving electromagnet 13, which may be supplied with afluctuating or alternating electrical current of a predeterminedfrequency through the mains 14.

Cooperating with the resonant reed 10 is a rotatable member adapted tobe rotated by vibration of the reed, but normally held against rotationand released only by vibration of the reed at its resonant frequency. Asembodied, a shaft 15 is rotatably jcurnalled in the side plates 16 ofthe mechanism and on shaft 15 is fixed a ratchet wheel 1'7 provided witha plurality of teeth 18. Ratchet wheel 17 preferably lies to one side ofand in a plane parallel to the reed 10 and is closely adjacent thereto,as shown in Figure 2.

For normally preventing rotation of the shaft 15, which may be connectedwith switching or other mechanism, an elongated, pivoted pawl 19 isprovided above reed 10 and is supported by pivot pin 20 as well as bythe downwardly projecting nose 21 which rests on the reed 10 near itsfree and vibrating end. At one side, pawl 19 is provided with a pin 22which engages with the teeth 18 of ratchet 17. Pawl l9 and its pin 22are released from the teeth of ratchet 17 by resonant vibration of thereed 10, the pawl being lifted sufficicntly by the vibration. As pawl 19is lifted, ratchet 1'? is rotated, as will be more fully described, andthereafter pin 22 rides on the pe ripheral face of the ratchet until itcomes in engagement with the next tooth 18.

For rotating the shaft 15 and ratchet 17, a thin disc 25 is fixed on theshaft and rotates therewith, and is engaged at its periphery by means ofa small grooved roller or disc 26, which is very loosely and rotatablymounted on a small shaft 27 carried between the ends of spring 28.Roller 26 is held by shaft 27 and gravity in engagement with theperiphery of the disc 25 and rolls thereover.

Spring 28 is slotted throughout substantially all its length and ismounted on a weighted segment 29 which is freely rotatable with respectto shaft 15. For rotating disc 25 as reed l vibrates, a small, lightplate 30 is provided and is mounted on reed 10 extending to one sidethereof and so positioned that roller 26 can be wedged between the plate30 and disc 25. Plate 30 is preferably downwardly inclined at slightlyless than a right angle to a line passing through shafts 15 and 27 andas reed 10 is vibrated, plate 3% is similarly vibrated causing a rapidintermittent rotation of disc 25 and roller 2-5 in the directions shownby the arrows.

In operation, reed 10 is vibrated by the current flowing throughelectromagnet l3, and when this is in resonance with the reed 10, reedl0 lifts pawl 19 sufficiently to position pin 22 on the periphery ofratchet 17. At the same time, plate 30 is raised while roller 26 iswedged between plate 30 and disc 25, thereby causing disc 25 and roller26 to be moved clockwise about shaft 15 as an ass. On downward movementof plate 30, disc 25 tends to remain stationary, roller 26 is releasedfrom its tight engagement with disc 25 and plate 30 and is pulled downand follows plate 30 by virtue of the weighted segment 29. The action isthen repeated and continuesso long as the predetermined frequency isapplied to the electromagnet 13.

In accordance with a modified embodiment of the invention as shown inFigure 4 of the drawing, a resonant reed 10 is rigidly mounted in across frame member 11 andhas its free end positioned between the polepieces 12 of a driving magnet. 'Reed 10 is associated with a rotatableshaft 35, to be driven and controlled by vibration of the reed, andshaft 35 carries a notched disc 35 which together with pin 22 carried bythe pivoted pawl 19, serves normally to prevent rotation of shaft 35.Pawl 19 is provided at its free end, with a downwardly extending nose 21which rests on the reed 10 so that pawl 19 is raised releasing disc 36on resonant vibration of reed 10.

I Shaft 35 is rotatable in the bearings 37 and has a limited degree ofhorizontal movement, being pressed toward the free end of reed 10 bypivoted lever 38 and spring 39. For driving the shaft, in

the direction of the arrow, reed 10 is provided with influence of reed10, than the lateral movement of disc 41 under spring 39.

Resonant vibration of the reed l0, first lifts pin 22 out of engagementwith the notch on disc 41, and at the same time slightly advances thedisc il to move the notch out of position to be engaged by the pin 22.On further vibration of the reed, plate 40 intermittently advances thedisc 41 and shaft 35 until the pin 22 again drops in one of the notches.

Figure of the drawing diagrammatically illustrates the present preferredarrangement of the pole pieces of the magnet in connection with aplurality of reeds 10. As shown, the pole pieces 45 overlap each other,and between them are positioned the free and vibratable ends of theresonant reeds 10.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificmechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefromwithin the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from theprinciples of the invention and without sacrificing its chiefadvantages.

What I claim is:

1. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a vibratingmember, a rotatable member and a roller loosely mounted on a shaft to bewedged between the vibrating member and rotatable member to drive therotatable member from the vibrating member.

2. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a vibratingmember, a rotatable member a re er loosely mounted on an oscillatiblearm to be moved by gravity between the vibrating and rotatable member.

3. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a vibratingmember, a rotatable member, a roller mounted independently of saidmembers and adapted to be wedged by gravity between the vibrating androtatable members, and means for releasing the wedging action onmovement of the vibratable member in one direction.

4. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a rotatabledisc, a vibratable reed, means for vibrating the reed, a roller mountedindependently of and between the disc and reed and wedged against thedisc by movement of the reed in one direction, and means normallypreventingrotation of the disc and releasing the disc only on resonantvibration of the reed.

WERNER KOENIG.

